This year Sydney has been host to a whole lot of international and interstate sewers and its been wonderful to show them the city. With more visitors coming soon I thought a round up of Sydney Fabric Stores would be useful for travelers and locals.
I’ve grouped it roughly by region and for ease have assumed that most people would be traveling from the city for approximate travel times. I’ve also edited it (May 2018 to take out stores which have since closed down).
City and Surry Hills
The Fabric store good for quality fabric, designer ends of rolls and the best selection of Merino in the city.
21 Cooper Street Surry Hills. Open 7 days a week: Monday – Friday: 9.30am – 5pm, Saturday: 10am – 4pm, Sunday: 11am – 4pm
Closest transport:5 minute walk from Central station, approx 20 min walk from the main area of the city.
Top Tip: Sign up to their newsletter so you can find out when sales are on as the sales on Merino are often fantastic.
Greenfields primarily a wholesale stockist but will sell to the general public. For haberdashery such as elastics, piping’s etc you need to buy the entire roll. Zips must be bought in batches of 5 (same length, style, colour) and fabric can be bought for as little as 1 metre but it will incur a cutting fee. The first floor is all trims, you can go in and look behind the counter and bring the rolls to the counter to purchase. There are virtually no prices on any of the rolls, check the end of the aisles for pricing or check at the counter. The second floor is fabrics, choose your fabric from the black folders in front of the counter. Pricing is on the cards. Almost all fabrics are solid colours as they do not often carry prints.
Good for stocking up on basics like threads, zips, elastics and plain coloured fabrics. Plain poplins, silk cottons, silks and satins. Greenfields is not necessarily the easiest place to shop as it is not set up for general browsing. If you have basics you use continuously and want to save a great deal of money then its great to come and buy in bulk, it’s not good for finding small amounts of trims.
30 Ann st Surry Hills. Open Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 4.45 Friday 8.30am to 4.00pm. Will close for a few weeks over the Christmas/New Year time.
Closest transport:5 minute walk from Central station, approx 20 min walk from the main area of the city.
Top Tip: on the first floor in front of the counters there are bags of trims and accessories for around $5 to $10 you can be lucky and get 50m of underwear elastic or piping for only a few dollars a bag.
Tessuti good for designer fabrics and special occasion fabrics. Stocks Liberty and Nani Iro.
110 Commonwealth st, Surry Hills. Open 6 days a week. Monday – Friday: 9.30am – 5.30pm Saturday: 9.30am – 5.00pm
Closest transport: 5 to 10 minute walk from Central station, approx 15 min walk from the main area of the city.
Top Tip: check the remnant table as there can be some bargains mixed in there.
Photios Bros – Sadly NOW CLOSED DOWN. good for beads, costume jewellery, original vintage trims, feathers and sequins. If you are stocking up on trims for dance, costume or vintage clothing then Photios Bros is a must. Many of their vintage trims are actually pieces they have had in stock since the 50’s or 60’s (or earlier) yet the prices are reasonable.
66 Druitt St Sydney (directly opposite the side of Town Hall). Open 6 days a week. Monday to Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm (closed for 1 hour between 1.00pm – 2.00pm) Saturdays 10.00am – 3.00pm
Closest Transport: Town Hall Station. Located in the city.
Top Tip: the costume jewellery is exquisite. If you need a bit of sparkle to add to an outfit by either a brooch, earrings or even tiara then this will be the best quality you can find at extremely affordable pricing.
Close to the City
Take a ferry from Circular Quay across to Balmain East and pop into Home Industry
Catering for homewares they specilaise in Upholstery Fabrics which make a perfect addition to your home and are fabulous for bag making too. It’s a beautiful store and well worth a pop into.
South of the City
Pitt Trading good for designer fabrics, high quality day and evening wear, amazing lace fabrics. Widest selection of coloured trims, elastic, laces etc in the city. I feel like Pitt Trading is one of Sydney’s hidden gems when it comes to fabric stores, well worth a look.
274 Rocky Point Road Ramsgate. Open 6 days a week. Monday to Friday 9am to 5.30 pm Saturdays 9am to 5pm.
Closest Transport: Catch a train to Kogarah station, head out of the station and turn right past the fruit store and walk about 300m up the road until you see the public toilets, cross over to the other side of the road to the bus stop in front of the Westpac bank and bakery. Catch the 476 or 477 bus, you will be on the bus for less than 10 minutes before you get off just a few stores down from Pitt Trading. Approx 40 to 50 min from the city.
Top Tip: allow yourself plenty of time to take a good look round as it’s like an Aladdin’s cave packed with pieces so you need a good few laps round the store to have a proper look.
The Remnant Warehouse good for dance and swim fabrics, kids fabrics, some designer offcuts and quilting fabrics
490-494 Botany Road, Alexandria. Open 6 days a week. Monday to Friday 9am to 4.30 pm Saturdays 9am to 4pm.
Closest Transport: Catch a train to Redfern Station and then walk to Regent street and catch the 309 bus. The store is on the right hand side and painted bright pink, you will be on the bus about 5 to 10 min. From the city the whole trip would be around 30 minutes.
Top Tip: check the remnant table as sometimes they have vintage fabrics on there which are quite unusual.
West of the city
Cabramatta not just one store but a whole selection of stores. Great for bridal, evening wear, bargains and general wackiness. It’s hard to do a trip to Cabramatta and not turn up at least one absolute must have bargain piece.
Open 7 days a week with the majority of the stores being open 9am to 5pm.
Closest Transport: catch a train to Cabramatta station. As you come out of the station head to John st. On both sides of John st you will find a selection of fabric stores.Approximately halfway down John street is a large open plaza area, if you go down this street there are a few more fabric stores just past the intersection. Time from the city approx 50 minutes.
Top Tip: It’s often a good idea to go through and check your prices at all stores and then come back and buy as some stores have the same stock at different prices. Cabramatta also has some amazing food, be sure to make some time for lunch while you are shopping and enjoy the delicious food on offer.
All over Sydney
All over Sydney in various suburbs you will find Spotlight stores. They are great for kids fabrics, craft supplies and dress fabrics. If you are looking for a one stop shop type store than seek out a Spotlight. They are all over Australia so if you are traveling to multiple places there is a pretty good chance you will come across a Spotlight somewhere in your travels.
Hopefully this helps you out if you are traveling to Sydney, I hope to add more to it at a later date but these would be my top picks. If you’d like a shopping guide or some friendly sewing faces to have a meet up with feel free to get in contact with the Sydney Spoolettes. We are always willing to take visiting sewers on shopping exhibitions or even just meet up for a meal and a chat.
Sydneysiders if I’ve missed out any favourite spots, add them in the comments and I can update the post as needed. Thanks!
Sue
As a regular visitor to Sydney I really appreciate this post. I have walked to all the shops in Surry Hills, but having the transport directions to the others is fantastic. Thank you so much.
Susan Goodwin
Oh I am so glad it helps. I am an avid trip planner and knowing public transport routes has always been such a help so I thought I would return the favour.
Christy
Nice work Susan – a good round up of the main shops.
Susan Goodwin
Thanks Christy, it always so nice to explore a new city and it’s fabrics stores so I thought I’d share the ones we frequent to help them out.
Velosewer
Great fabric shopping post Susan! I forgot about Fotios Bros. And I still have to get to Greenfields one day.
Susan Goodwin
Greenfields is fun, I remember the first time I went. I was in Sydney on work experience and had to go pick up zips, it was so busy I think I was a bit intimidated!
Susan Goodwin
Realised today I can add Ikea and Metro Fabrics to the listings too. Will have to do an update to the post.
Jodie
Great post!
If in Cabramatta make Van Hung your priority. They’ve have designer ends of rolls and once I picked one thing up the guy followed me round trying to give me deals on everything I touched – score! If you happen to be driving there’s a good little fabric store in Liverpool, two suburbs over, called LK Fabrics (I think) around 240-260 Macquarie Street.
Of the Spotlights out west I recommend Penrith although the Auburn store is good too.
Susan Goodwin
Thank you! I will add these into the post.
Jodie
Also there are about 3 fabric stores close together in Fairfield (near Cabramatta) which are a 5 minute walk from the station. They have similar fabrics and prices to Cabramatta and one of them has piles and piles of out of print simplicity patterns for $1. I’m pretty sure they’re near the corner of Spencer and Smart Street.
Susan Goodwin
5 minute walk from Fairfield station? Any idea what street they are on? Will google map it and add the directions into the post.
Thanks for the extra tips!
Amanda
Susan, thank you SO MUCH! I have had a few new to sewing peeps road trip to SYD and ask for advice and I have to tweet y’all. Now I’m all going to be like “check my rad friend’s post!” You rock!!!! 😀
Susan Goodwin
So glad it helps, it’s exactly the kind of thing I go looking for when visiting new cities so I thought I should return the favour.
Vanessa
Great post. One day I’ll make it to Sydney and I’ll definitely be using this post. 🙂
Susan Goodwin
oh yes do come and visit!
Emma
Great post – now for some more fabric shopping meet ups!! Best get sewing first though!
Catherine
thank you for this! i will certainly book mark it for when i go shopping next! Greenfeilds is one ive wanted to get to for ages!
My one to add is My Hung in Parramatta. They have so many kinds of lycra and basic fabrics in lots of colours!
Oh and Fotios brotheRs! I feel like ive stepped back in time when i go there. Its just like a old style Edwardian store. love it!
JoAnne
Another shop you might find interesting is Fabric Muse at Chippendale
http://www.fabricmuse.com.au
Juju
I love that everything I need to refer to for my sewing is right here in this post!
I was also going to mention Fabric Muse as did JoAnne, just above.
They are quite easy to get to from either Central Station or Redfern station (about a 5min walk). There is also a 352 bus that stops right outside the shop that travels between Bondi Junction and Newtown, (through Paddington and Surry Hills).
These guys are great for special and unique finds, but can be a little pricey.
Having said that, they do specialise in Italian silks, wools and genuine designer end-rolls. So you know it is best quality and something really special. The way I see it is it’s still cheaper than paying for anything designer that others already have!
Hope this helps.
Christine
I realise you posted this in 2014, but just about to make a trip to Sydney from Melbourne in October 2015 and appreciate all the travel tips you have given. Thank you.
Lynnie
Thanks so much for this post. I have found shopping for nice fabrics in Sydney is a nightmare. Results is nice but getting into the city is a challenge. I live not far from Pitt Trading and had no idea it was there! Can’t wait to check it out!
Maree
You forgot one – Metro Fabrics at Tempe opposite Ikea. Sells all sorts of lycra, sport and swimwear fabric, jersey, chiffons and bra making supplies.
Susan Goodwin
Am sure there are many that aren’t on the list, will try to update it, but till then there have been lots of helpful hints in the comments.
Jessie
Thank you so much for putting this together! I am headed to Sydney from Singapore this week with my family so having the shops sorted by neighbourhood really helps! (I’m going to have to plan family activities in Surry Hills so I can “accidentally” discover some fabric shops along the way ;D)
Susan Goodwin
Have a wonderful trip!
Warin
http://www.rickyrichards.com.au/
For materials for blinds – internal & external ..
Most of their stuff is for heavy fabric. But they are another source.
Claudia
This is fabulous! Thank you! By any chance, do you know anywhere that would have a wide range of organic cotton/spandex printed (or similar) fabric in Sydney! I wanting to make baby clothes and struggling to find what I after… I know it is out there somewhere xx
Kat
Thank You soooooooo much. Growing up in Adelaide I knew all the fabric shops but living in country NSW has meant that Ive had very limited fabric choices ( thank god I have a huge stash). So I was thrilled to find your list especially with the instructions on how to get there as I still get very very lost in Sydney. 🙂
elisabeth
What a wonderful woman you are to set up this fabric shop directory. I’m a bit of a Fabric Fiend and my favorite is Remnants Warehouse on Botany Rd. They offer all levels of sewing classes…so good. And they have some beautiful affordable fabrics and trims. Affordable being the magic word. I only ever venture to the Fabric Shop in Cooper St Surry Hills when they have their specials on, (twice a year I think) they carry an amazing range of very high end fabrics, and some curious bits and pieces, the word “designer” just floats around the shop….. The very special thing about these selective type fabric shops is the people who work there actually know about fabric. You should put a Melbourne Fabric Shop list together. They have some amazing places to be explored…for when I can get down there without my husband 🙂
PRIYANKA SURYAVANSHI
Hello,
I am looking to buy good quality felt fabric and quilted fabrics for making quiet book for my 1 year old son.
I am new to Sydney and not very aware of the local shops. Can you please point /guide me to a good shop. Any direction or pointers will be helpful.
Thanks,
Priyanka,
Susan Goodwin
Hi Priyanka,
Welcome to Sydney! it sounds like you’ll be able to find much of what you need at Spotlight? if you wanted more variation of quilted fabrics I’m guessing that a quilt store would be best? I don’t know many of the quilting specific stores but am sure The Remnant Warehouse would either have what you want or be able to point you in the right direction?
Yvette
I find that the easiest public transport method to get to The Remnant Warehouse is from Green Square station. It’s about a 10 minute walk along Botany Road from there.
Also, I haven’t been there yet, but Fabric Muse is at 102 Cleveland St, Shop 63, Chippendale, NSW 2008. I just discovered this shop online today and now I want to go there!